Amending the sex designation on a birth certificate may be an extremely important step for a transgender person, to accurately reflect on this legal document the sex with which the individual identifies, and as required proof of sex to obtain other identity and legal documents. The requirements and process to change the sex designation on a birth certificate, and whether that is even possible, varies from state to state. The following is a list of legal authorities intended to assist with the process of changing the sex on a birth certificate.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 C.F.R. §§ 99.00 et seq.) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student educational records. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s educational records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. (34 C.F.R. § 99.4-5).

April 17, 2015 is the National Day of Silence, a student-led action sponsored by Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education
Network’s (GLSEN) in which thousands of students around the country will remain silent for all or part of the school day to
call attention to the harassment and discrimination faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth.

The Illinois legislature passed the “Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Marriage Fairness Act.” Below are answers to frequently asked questions about the new marriage law and about the recent court decision ordering the Cook County Clerk to immediately issue marriage licenses.

It's tax season - and for married same-sex couples, it's a new world! Since the Supreme Court struck down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the federal government now recognizes the marriages of same-sex couples.

For lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) seniors, finding, keeping, and advancing in good jobs can be a challenge. LGBT seniors may confront both age-related bias and anti-LGBT bias in the workplace, which can leave them even more vulnerable than those of their counterparts who share, and therefore face discrimination based on, only one of those characteristics. Legal protections against workplace discrimination based on age, sexual orientation, and gender identity have expanded dramatically in many places across the United States, and LGBT seniors can access these legal tools to protect their rights in the workplace.

Over the last decade, hospitals throughout the United States have recognized that some groups of people face significant barriers to health care because of historic bias and discrimination against them. Many efforts have been launched to identify these groups, learn more about the challenges they face in health care, and welcome them into the nation’s hospitals. To reach out to these long overlooked groups, hospitals have examined their policies and practices to ensure that discrimination is clearly prohibited, recommendations for equitable and inclusive care are being followed, and staff are trained to provide knowledgeable, sensitive care.

On October 21, 2013, Lambda Legal’s case to bring marriage equality to New Jersey concluded in a final, resounding
victory: After the New Jersey Supreme Court unanimously refused to postpone our trial court win in Garden State Equality
v. Dow that ordered marriage without discrimination based on sexual orientation, the government abandoned its appeal!
Marriages began across the state at 12:01 a.m., and with so many thousands of couples newly able to wed, Lambda
Legal has created and updated our answers to frequently asked questions about the effect of our win and what it means
for people in New Jersey.